Somewhere In the Valley
by xXLeafheartXx
Summary: Four cats, long after the Warrior cats, in Tribes of winged cats go on an adventure that will change their lives. The outcome of their expedition will decide the fate of the Tribes.


Riptide rustled in his nest. Sun flooded through the apprentice's hollow, and he opened his wary eyes. He stretched his wings, and padded to the hollow's entrance. He stared at the sun, and admired its beauty as it pushed away the gray dawn. Riptide leaped onto the beach and began to run along the shore.

"Riptide! Hey! Slow down!" the blue-grey tom slowed down, and turned to the voice. It was Mackerel, Riptides best friend. Mackerel was a silver-blue tom, and shiny like his namesake.

"Catch me first!" Riptide ran along the water, letting the cold waves splash over his paws. He heard Mackerel laugh, and a fluttering of wings for a speed boost. Riptide suddenly swerved into the ocean. Being a cat of the Shore Tribe, he was trained to swim, and had webbed paws. He took a breath and plunged into the water. The sun had just risen, so it was still cold. However, the water would be warmer later.

Riptides amber eyes opened under the water, and he saw the long, wavy kelp, as well as the bright coral. He watched the fish swim around. He went up for air, and saw Mackerel was only a tail-length behind him.

"Gah!" Riptide took a huge breath, and smiling, plunged once again into the ocean. He saw bubbles at the edge of his vision, letting him know Mackerel was after him. Riptide twisted and turned under the water, and Mackerel followed. Mackerel caught up with Riptide and they both burst up for air.

"Haha! Got you!" Mackerel laughed. Riptide grinned foolishly, and saw that it was time that most cats would be awake.

"Hey, let's hunt, since we're out here anyways." Riptide meowed, and Mackerel nodded. They slipped back under the water.

They arrived at the camp central with a mouthful of fish, and their mentors praised them.

"Good job, guys! Bring some to the nursery and elders, then eat something for yourself." Eel, Riptides mentor, meowed. The two apprentices nodded and dashed off to deliver some of their catch to others, then chose a fish to eat for themselves.

Riptide bit into his parrotfish, and let the flavors slide around his tongue. He sighed happily. They ate in silence, then went to the training hollow.

Riptide and Mackerel practiced their basic fighting and defense moves, then decided to make up moves as they went.

"Nice! Great work, apprentices. I can see you will be great warriors." the apprentices stopped immediately and spun around to see Tsunami, the deputy of the Tribe. The two bowed in respect.

"Thank you, Tsunami," Mackerel purred, followed by a thank you from Riptide. Tsunami nodded and left to do who knew what.

They went back to camp, and their mentors came up to them.

"Flight practice!" they yowled. Riptide and Mackerel exchanged a look of delight. They went up to the cliff, and they began wing stretches. Being apprentices, they still had to pass their flight test.

"Alright! So. Mackerel, you first. Give me a glide off the cliff and back." Eel meowed, sitting near the edge. Cypress, Mackerel's mentor, was in the air ready to help Mackerel if he fell. Mackerel dashed off the cliff, gliding with ease. To show off, he did a barrel roll, then flew back to the cliff.

"Nice!" Cypress yowled. "Riptide, go!"

Riptide closed his eyes, then opened them and rushed off the cliff, hurling himself forward with his wings open. While he glided, a warm thermal draft pushed him up, and he cried in delight. There was something about fying that Riptide couldn't explain, the way he could he could see everything from above the beautiful breeze under his wings - everything.

He swerved back to the cliff and his mentor nodded in approval, and flight practice went on like that.

Later that day, as the sun fell to the moon, Aqua Star called a meeting.

"Cats of Shore Tribe! Listen! Something tragic has happened - Hazel Star of the Cliff Tribe has joined our ancestors. We will be watching for her spirit joining the stars-and we will say vigil.

"On a higher note, Herb Pelt is joining the elders. Would you like to say something?"

Herb Pelt stepped forward, smiling. "Yes. Thank you, Aqua Star. I would like to say that as a warrior, I enjoyed serving my Tribe and I look forward to retiring to the elder's den." she meowed. Dipping her head, she raised her dull green wings and retreated back to the crowd.

Aqua Star nodded with approval. "I guarantee you will enjoy the elder's life. Meeting dismissed." Aqua Star waved her tail and disappeared into her den.

Riptide bounded over to Herb Pelt, who was padding over to the elder's den to join Opal Shine.

"Congratulations! I'll miss seeing you around!" Riptide mewed happily.

"Oh, thank you! And I'm not leaving the Tribe, I'm only moving to the elder's den. Just remember Riptide. Enjoy your life as a young, strong warrior." and with that she leaped onto the ledge that was the elder's den opening.

Riptide stared at the entrance, then looked up at the stars.

And then there was a rustle. More. And shadows hurled into the camp.

So... I really think this will be my redeemer. My old stories were crap. I am discontinuing EVERYTHING but The Rebellion. This is my favrotie story, what I've been working on for two years. I really think this will become something big - an animated series. So.. Yeah. Enjoy. 


End file.
